Electrical connectors for mounting to circuit boards, typically have contact leads that extend through plated through holes or have leads that engage contact pads on the surface of the circuit board. Locating pins or posts are usually molded into the housing and arranged to enter into holes in the circuit board for accurately positioning the connector. These locating posts, sometimes will include features that will grip the circuit board to hold the connector in place. Mounting clips can also be used to both locate and to hold the connector in place on the circuit board. Such a connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,287 which issued Feb. 24, 1987 to Olsson. The '287 patent discloses an electrical connector having surface mount contact leads that engage contact pads on the surface of the circuit board. The connector housing has a U-shaped groove formed adjacent each end for receiving a U-shaped clip that is closely received within the groove. The two clips have ends that extend into holes in the circuit board for both locating the connector with respect to the contact pads and for holding the connector to the surface of the circuit board. This type connector requires mounting space on the surface of the circuit board that is equal to the size of the connector, and requires separate U-shaped clips that must be assembled when mounting the connector to a circuit board. In certain cases such connectors can be mounted to the edge of a circuit board, thereby saving board surface area for other board mounted components. Electrical connectors that are mounted to the edge of a circuit board, typically, utilize pins that are molded into the connector housing to enter into holes in the circuit board to accurately locate the connector so that the contact leads match up with their respective contact pads or plated through holes in the circuit board. Additionally, spring clips, or similar devices, enter into other holes in the circuit board for holding the connector housing against the surface of the circuit board. Such an electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,049 which issued Aug. 2, 1994 to Kachlic et al. The '049 patent discloses an electrical connector having an insulating housing that includes a pair of flanges that rest on the surface of the circuit board. A locating pin extends from each flange into a respective hole in the circuit board for positioning the connector. Each flange has a cavity containing a hold down spring clip that includes a barbed portion that extends into a hole in the circuit board. The spring clip is deflected toward the circuit board when it is inserted into the hole so that there is a continuing force tending to urge the flanges of the connector housing into engagement with the surface of the circuit board. While this type of connector requires less circuit board surface area for mounting, it nevertheless requires some space for the flanges, and requires both locating pins and spring hold down clips to effect a proper mounting.
What is needed is an electrical connector that easily mounts to the edge of a circuit board without the connector housing requiring mounting area on its surface, and without the need for separate clips or other parts to effect the mounting. Ideally, a single mechanism will serve to both position the connector and secure it to the circuit board for soldering.